FOUR WEEKS HAD gone by and the ramifications of the Lagos mission was still being felt. Public opinion on the Avengers was basically split, with people either calling for action against them for the damages they've caused or showing their support for the heroes's work despite it.
They were called to the conference room where the recently arrived Secretary of State, Thaddeus Ross, wanted to speak with the Avengers. He stood in front of their table with his assistant a few feet away from him near the screen. Tony Stark also attended, who sat in the corner of the room.
"Five years ago I had a heart attack and dropped right in the middle of my backswing." Ross said as he mimicked his golfing motion. "Turned out it was the best round of my life because after 13 hours of surgery and a triple bypass, I had found something that 40 years in the army had never taught me. Perspective."
The former army general continued as the team listened.
"The world owes the Avengers an unplayable debt. You have fought for us, protected us, risked your lives, but while a great many people see you as heroes there are some that would prefer the word vigilantes."
"What word you use, Mr. Secretary?" Natasha asked.
He looked at her. "How about dangerous?"
Y/N scoffed at his remark. Across the table, Wanda writhed in her seat at that after that statement and Pietro noticed.
"What would you call a group of US-based, enhanced individuals who routinely ignore sovereign borders and inflict their will wherever they choose and who, frankly, seem unconcerned about what they leave behind?" Ross added.
"These enhanced individuals helped you extract those soldiers last year." Pietro shot back. "A mission that had Y/N taken and we had to get him back."
Ross looked at the silver-haired Maximoff twin, not knowing what to say. "I'm sorry for that. But as soldiers should know, which Y/N and I once were, the unexpected is bound to happen."
Y/N didn't say anything and simply rested his chin on his hand as he looked forward, ready to see what Thaddeus wanted to show them.
The Secretary turned on the screen and held the remote in his hand.
"New York."
He showed clips from the Battle of New York in 2012. Rhodey glanced down at his hands before turning back to Natasha and Steve, who still had their eyes glued to the screen.
"Washington, D.C."
The next clips showcased the HYDRA uprising and Triskelion destruction in 2014. Sam breathed out through his nose and looked down.
"Sokovia."
Footage of Ultron's destruction of Sokovia started to play. This time it was Tony who looked away in disgust and guilt for that time.
"Lagos."
Recent video of what transpired in Lagos last month played, showing the wounded being escorted out of the burning building along with bodies of those that didn't make it.
Wanda's breathing hitched and she looked away from the screen. Steve took notice of her reaction.
"Okay. That's enough." Steve told Ross.
Thaddeus gave a nod to his assistant who shut off the screen afterwards.
"For the last four years you've operated with unlimited power and no supervision. That's an arrangement the governments of the world can no longer tolerate." Ross told them.
His assistant handed him a large booklet, in which he handed it to Wanda. "But I think we have a solution."
The witch held it in her hands and looked at the cover as Thaddeus continued.
"The Sokovia Accords." He introduced. "Approved by 117 countries it states that the Avengers shall no longer be a private organization."
Wanda handed it to Y/N across the table, who started looking through the first few pages as the Secretary kept speaking.
"Instead...they'll operate under the supervision of a United Nations panel only when and if that panel deems it necessary."
Steve glanced at the book his son was currently examining. "The Avengers were formed to make the world a safer place. I feel we've done that." He told Ross.
"Tell me, Captain, do you know where Thor and Banner are right now?" He asked, in which he got no response. "If I misplaced a couple of 30 megaton nukes you can bet there will be consequences."
"They're not weapons, Thaddeus. Those are our friends you're talking about." Y/N rebutted.
"The people of Sokovia don't think so, Y/N. Or the families of the people who were lost in New York." He replied.
Rhodey was handed the book next and he placed his hand on the cover. "So, there are contingencies."
"Three days from now, the UN meets in Vienna to ratify the accords." Ross said.
Steve turned around and looked at Tony, who had his head down before glancing back up at the Captain.
Thaddeus took notice of this. "I suggest you all talk it over."
He started to leave with his assistant but Natasha spoke to him before they could exit.
"And if we come to a decision you don't like?"
Ross looked back at the female Avenger. "Then you retire."
They left the room, leaving them in silence for a moment.
"Then you retire." Pietro mocked under his breath before suddenly dashing out of his seat. He came back two seconds later.
Y/N looked at him. "Where did you go?"
Pietro crossed his arms and scoffed. "I slashed his tires."
• • •
THE TEAM SETTLED in the lounge as they discussed the ramifications of the Accords. Sam and Rhodey were currently in an argument about said legislation.
"Secretary Ross has a Congressional Medal of Honor which is one more than you have." Rhodey said.
"So let's say we agree to this thing. How long is it gonna be before they LoJack us like a bunch of common criminals?" Sam replied.
"117 countries want to sign this. 117, Sam, and you're just like, No that's cool. We got it."
"How long are you going to play both sides?"
Tony was laying down on the sofa with a hand resting on his face. Steve sat in the seat between the arguing Rhodes and Wilson. Vision sat beside Wanda and Pietro, and Y/N stood behind the seat Natasha was sitting on.
"I have an equation." Vision suddenly said.
"Oh, this will clear it up." Sam said in a sarcastic tone.
Vision started to explain. "In the eight years since Mr. Stark announced himself as Iron Man the number of known enhanced persons has grown exponentially. During the same period the number of potentially world-ending events has risen at a commensurate rate."
"Are you saying it's our fault?" Rogers asked the synthezoid.
"I'm saying there may be a causality. Our very strength invites challenge. Challenge incites conflict. And conflict...breeds catastrophe."
Y/N heard Vision's words and sighed. He brought up some very valid points.
"Oversight is not an idea that can be dismissed out of hand." Vision added.
"Boom." Rhodey turned to Sam as if that settled the whole debate.
Natasha turned to Stark. "Tony. You're being uncharacteristically non-hyper verbal."
"It's because he's already made up his mind." Steve interjected, knowing well enough that Tony was probably one of the people who introduced the legislation.
"Boy, you know me so well." Tony got up from the sofa. "Actually, I'm nursing an electromagnetic headache. That's what's going on, Cap. Just pain. It's discomfort."
He went over to the kitchen and stood by the sink.
"Who's putting coffee grounds in the disposal? Am I running a bed and breakfast for a biker gang?"
Y/N glanced at Vision, who scratched the back of his neck in a nervous manner. The synthezoid wouldn't make that mistake again.
Tony then activated a hologram that showed a picture of a young boy.
"Oh, that's Charles Spencer, by the way. He's a great kid. Computer engineering degree, 3.6 GPA...had a floor-level gig at Intel planned for the fall. But first, he wanted to put a few miles on his soul...before he parked it behind a desk. See the world. Maybe be of service. Charlie didn't want to go to Vegas or Fort Lauderdale, which is what I would do. He didn't go to Paris or Amsterdam, which sounds fun."
He walked away from the island and made his way back towards the sofas as he continued to rant.
"He decided to spend his summer building sustainable housing for the poor. Guess where? Sokovia. He wanted to make a difference, I suppose. We won't know because we dropped a building on him while we were kicking ass. There's no decision-making process here. We need to be put in check! Whatever form that takes, I'm game. If we can't accept limitations, if we're boundary-less...we're no better than the bad guys."
They took in his story, which was yet another thing that could sway Y/N. Steve was the first to speak after a momentary silence.
"Tony, someone dies on your watch, you don't give up."
"Who said we're giving up?"
"We are if we're not taking responsibility for our actions. This document just shifts the blame."
"I'm sorry, Steve. That is dangerously arrogant." Rhodey interjected. "This is the United Nations we're talking about. It's not the World Security Council. It's not S.H.I.E.L.D, it's not HYDRA."
Steve turned to Rhodes. "No, but it's run by people with agendas, and agendas change."
"That's good. That's why I'm here. When I realized what my weapons were capable of in the wrong hands I shut it down and stopped manufacturing." Tony rebutted.
"Tony, you chose to do that. If we sign this, we surrender our right to choose." Steve replied.
The rest of the team stayed quiet as Steve kept speaking.
"What if this panel sends us somewhere we don't think we should go? What if there is somewhere we need to go and they don't let us? We may not be perfect, but the safest hands are still our own."
Y/N also took in the points his father presented.
"If we don't do this now, it's gonna be done to us later. That's the fact. That won't be pretty." Tony told them.
"You're saying they'll come for me." Wanda abruptly said.
"We could protect you." Vision replied.
"We will." Pietro cut in.
Natasha chose to speak. "Maybe Tony's right. If we have one hand on the wheel, we can still steer, if we take it off—"
Sam's brows furrowed as he turned to Natasha. "Aren't you the same woman who told the government to kiss her ass a few years ago?"
"I'm just reading the terrain. We have made some very public mistakes. We need to win their trust back."
"I'm sorry, did I just mishear you or did you actually agree with me?" Tony asked in surprise.
Natasha looked at him. "I want to take it back now."
"No, you can't retract it." Tony rebutted.
"She has a point. With their trust compromised...we need to fix it somehow." Y/N said.
Rhodey agreed. "The public's trust is split and I can't operate with that."
"They're split because of what happened in Lagos." Wanda began. "Does that mean you believe in what they're saying about me?"
"Of course they don't, Wanda." Vision chose to answer for him.
"They don't know what they're talking about." Y/N added. "But in order to show them the truth, I feel like this is the best course of action."
Tony crossed his arms and looked at the young super soldier. "Whoa, wait. You agree with me too? If I got Forrest on my side, then I say it's settled. Case closed. I win."
Y/N rolled his eyes at his remark. Suddenly, Steve got a text message and looked down at his phone.
"Son." He looked up at Y/N. "We have to go."
Steve immediately left the room, and Y/N sat there for a moment in confusion. He got up and left the room too, leaving the team in their own bewilderment.
He walked through the hallway and entered the staircase, seeing his father against the railing looking down and rubbing the bridge of his nose.
"Steve?" He called out as he walked down the steps toward him. "What happened?"
Rogers sighed and looked at Y/N. He placed both hands on his son's shoulders.
"Your...mother passed away." He paused for a moment. "Last night. In her sleep."
Y/N's breathing hitched at the sudden revelation. He swallowed and looked down, stepping away from Steve as he sat down on the steps of the staircase.
"I'm sorry." Steve said.
The young man didn't know how to initially react. He didn't cry or get angry in any way. The news was just so sudden and came to him as a shock.
Peggy was in her old age and had dementia, so she was bound to pass away soon. But Y/N had barely reunited with her two years ago, and he felt as if he missed out on a lot. In his eyes, his mother was going to be there with him for a long time. But that wasn't the case.
Steve sat beside his son on the steps and placed a hand on his shoulder. The two sat there in silence as they mourned the loss of a loved one.
• • •
THE FUNERAL FOR Peggy Carter took place in London. Sam and Natasha came along to support their friends.
Y/N sat in the pews with Sam, Natasha, and his father. The ceremony was going along as usual, before a eulogy given by Sharon Carter got their attention.
"Margaret Carter was known to most as a founder of S.H.I.E.L.D, but I knew her as Aunt Peggy." She began.
Steve looked up at her in shock. Y/N also made a face of surprise, as his mother never mentioned Sharon being related to him. That would've made her his first cousin once removed, or simply his niece.
"She had a photograph in her office, Aunt Peggy standing next to JFK. As a kid, that was pretty cool. But it was a lot to live up to." She looked at Rogers and L/N. "Which is why I never told anyone we were related."
She continued her eulogy, and Steve listened closely.
"Even if everyone is telling you that something wrong is something right. Even if the whole world is telling you to move, it is your duty to plant yourself like a tree, look them in the eye and say no, you move."
Steve took in those words. And they were exactly what he needed in that moment.
After the funeral, Steve and Y/N stayed in the church. Rogers was by the altar looking at the photo of Peggy while his son was by the door occupied with his thoughts.
Natasha entered the church and saw her boyfriend. The sight of her brought a light smile to Y/N's face and the two hugged.
She pecked him on the lips. "Are you okay, моя любовь (my love)?
The young man looked towards the flowers by the altar near the portrait of Peggy, which Steve stood beside.
"Yeah." He answered. "Thank you for coming, Tasha."
"Of course. You know I'm always here, for both you and Steve." She replied.
There was a slight pause before Y/N spoke again. "I feel like I didn't have much time with her. HYDRA basically took it away from us."
"But at least she knew you were okay." Natasha placed her hand against his cheek and ran her thumb against it. "She had you. And in her last years you made her happy."
He smiled and hugged his girlfriend again. He was grateful to have her, especially now.
Afterwards, they walked up to Steve and the man turned around upon hearing their footsteps.
"When I came out of the ice, I thought everyone I had known was gone." Steve began to say as he looked back at Peggy's portrait. "Then I found out she was alive. I was just lucky to have her."
"She had you back, too." Natasha replied.
"She had us both." Y/N added.
Steve sighed and decided to change the topic. "Are you going to sign?"
Y/N looked straight into the eyes of his father and gave a nod. "Yes."
Steve nodded, initially respecting his son's choice. But it wasn't going to change his stance just yet.
"Who else did?" He asked.
"Tony, Rhodey, Vision." Natasha answered. She had already signed.
"Clint?"
"Says he's retired."
"Which might be a good thing." Y/N added. "Let him enjoy that life."
"Wanda?" Steve asked.
"TBD." Natasha replied. "Y/N and I are off to Vienna for the signing of the Accords. There's plenty of room on the jet." Natasha offered, thinking maybe on the trip there Steve would decide.
Steve sighed and the redhead noticed his reluctance.
She continued. "Just because it's the path of least resistance doesn't mean it's the wrong path. Staying together is more important than how we stay together."
Steve looked at her. "What are we giving up to do it?"
Y/N looked down, understanding where his father was coming from. He also respected his decision.
"I'm sorry. I can't sign it." Steve finally admitted.
"I know."
"Then what are you doing here?"
Natasha looked at Y/N then at him. "I didn't want you two to be alone."
Steve understood and appreciated her concern. She embraced him, and Y/N stood by with a smile.
• • •
PRESS SWARMED THE outside of the United Nations building in Vienna. Y/N and Natasha walked into the main room where the conference was being held.
A U.N staffer walked up to them and showed them some papers.
"Excuse me, Ms. Romanoff? Mr. L/N?"
"Yes?"
"These need your signatures."
"Oh. Okay."
After signing them the staffer bid farewell. Suddenly, a man walked up to the couple and got their attention. It was T'Challa, the son of the Wakandan king, T'Chaka.
"I suppose neither one of us is used to the spotlight." He spoke. "Well, except maybe your star-bearing friend here."
"Oh, well, it's not always so flattering." She replied.
"Hey." Y/N said with a chuckle. "You said you like the stars."
T'Challa chuckled as well. "You two seem to be doing all right so far. Considering Romanoff's last appearance at Capitol Hill, I wouldn't think she'd be particularly comfortable in this company."
"Well, I'm not." She responded.
"And that alone makes me glad you are here, Ms. Romanoff."
T'Challa looked at Y/N.
"You too, Lieutenant L/N." He said as he shook his hand. "I am also sorry to hear about the passing of your mother. My condolences."
"I appreciate it, Prince T'Challa." He thanked before changing the subject. "You approve of all this?
"The Accords, yes. The politics, not really." He answered. "Two people in a room can get more done than a hundred."
"Unless you need to move a piano." King T'Chaka added as he walked up to the three.
"Baba." His son greeted.
T'Chaka greeted his son back and looked at the two Avengers.
"King T'Chaka, please, allow me to apologize for what happened in Nigeria." Natasha said.
"Thank you. Thank you for agreeing to all of this. I'm sad to hear that Captain Rogers will not be joining us today."
"Yes. So am I."
T'Chaka looked at Y/N. "But I am grateful to have at least the other half of the Sons of Liberty in support of what we're trying to accomplish."
"Yes." T'Challa added. "Baba and I appreciate your alignment with us."
A voice started coming through the speakers.
"If everyone could please be seated. This assembly is now in session."
"That is the future calling." T'Challa said as he looked at Natasha and Y/N. "It's been a pleasure."
Everybody went to their seats and the assembly began. King T'Chaka was one of the speakers, and talked about how Ultron stole their vibranium along with the Wakandan men and women who perished in Lagos.
"I'm grateful to the Avengers for supporting this initiative. Wakanda is proud to extend its hand in peace—"
Suddenly, T'Challa ran onto the stage and leaped towards his father. "Everybody get down!"
Y/N's instincts caused him to quickly grab Natasha and pull her under the table with him. An explosion erupted with the windows being blown out and debris flying into the room.
Smoke filled the room along with dust and ash. T'Challa crawled over to his father's body, and the prince held his hand and tried to check for a pulse, to no avail.
With no other signs of life, T'Challa held his body close and started to cry.
• • •
PEOPLE WERE ESCORTED out and the fire department continued extinguishing the flames.
Many news outlets reported that the bomber was James Buchanan Barnes, also known as the Winter Soldier. With convincing camera footage as evidence, there was no doubt in the authorities' minds that he was the terrorist.
Y/N and Natasha were outside the building as task force officers ran around trying to deal with the situation. Nearby, T'Challa sat on a bench and looked blankly at the crowd.
"I'm very sorry." Natasha said as they walked up to him.
He was holding his father's ring. He looked at the couple before looking back down at the jewelry.
"In my culture...death is not the end. It's more of a stepping-off point. You reach out with both hands and Bast and Sekhmet, they lead you into the green veldt where you can run forever."
"That sounds very peaceful." She replied.
"My father thought so..." He put on the ring. "...I am not my father."
Y/N knew what T'Challa wanted to do. He wanted revenge. But he couldn't let him do that, as this needed to be done by the book. The German Task Force had already asked for Freedom Fighter's assistance in apprehending Barnes, in which he accepted. The Accords seemed like it was already going into effect.
"Your highness." Y/N said. "Task Force and I will handle Barnes."
T'Challa stood up and looked directly at him. "Don't bother, Lieutenant. I'll kill him myself."
He walked away, leaving behind Y/N and Natasha. Her phone rang and she looked at it, seeing who the call was coming from.
"Excuse me." She told Y/N and walked away to answer. He nodded and gave her privacy.
"Yeah?" She spoke into the phone.
Steve Rogers was on the other end. "Are you and Y/N all right?"
"Uh, yeah. Thanks. We got lucky."
"That's great to hear."
There was a brief pause before she spoke again. "I know how much Barnes means to you, I really do. Stay home. You'll only make this worse. For all of us. Please.
"You want me to sit while Y/N and the Task Force go after him? Are you saying you'll arrest me?"
"No. Someone will."
"Y/N will?"
"If you interfere. That's how it works now."
"If Bucky's this far gone, Nat...I should be the one to bring him in."
"Why?"
"Because I'm the one least likely to die trying."
Natasha sighed. Steve wanted to say one more thing before hanging up.
"Do me a favor. Don't tell Y/N about this."
He hung up before she could say anything else.
"Shit..." She muttered before walking back over to the bench where Y/N stood by.
"Everything all right?" He asked as he put his hands into his pockets.
Natasha nodded. "It was Steve. He's just making sure we're all right."
Y/N smiled and looked over at the news crews and authorities in front of the dilapidated building.
"Come on, let's get out of here before they start interviewing us Avengers."